1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to means of connecting a tubular conduit, such as conduit bearing electrical conductors, to an enclosure for housing an electrical device, and wherein the enclosure is of a non-metallic material.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrical devices have long been housed in enclosures of various types. It has only been in very recent years that such enclosures have been formed from non-metallic materials, such as polymeric molding compounds. Heretofore, it was common practice to provide metallic enclosures of aluminum or zinc die castings. In devices of this type, it was very easy to provide a machined or molded threaded aperture in the wall of the enclosure intended to be connected to a conduit. An externally threaded fitting was placed on the conduit and threaded directly to the enclosure, or in many cases, the conduit would itself be threaded and joined by means of threading engagement directly to the enclosure.
This arrangement, however, is not satisfactory in the case of polymeric enclosures because it introduces an undesirable amount of torque during the installation of the enclosure with respect to the conduit. In addition, it is not uncommon for an installer to preassemble the conduit to the enclosure, and then bend the assembled unit towards a vertical wall for final supporting attachment. This obviously introduces additional stresses at the connection junction of the conduit and enclosure.